Krug - Clos d'Ambonnay - Blanc de Noirs - Brut
98 points - The Wine Advocate
99 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
98 points - The Wine Advocate
Krug - Clos d'Ambonnay - Blanc de Noirs - Brut
98 points - The Wine Advocate
99 points - The Wine Advocate
93 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
98 points - The Wine Advocate
Regular price€4,510.80
€4,510.80
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- In stock
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Entirely crafted from Pinot Noir sourced in a single parcel of Clos d'Ambonnay, Krug's 2006 Blanc de Noirs Brut Clos d’Ambonnay is one of my favorite vintages at this address. Evoking aromas of spices, smoke, white fruits, brioche, pastry, dried herbs, plum and ripe orchard fruits, it possesses a full-bodied, round and charming mid-palate framed by a crystalline and pure texture. It has a delicately phenolic mid-palate and pinpoint mousse that leads to a long, mineral and saline finish marked by subtle iodine notes and gastronomic bitterness. Classic and precise, this is purity and elegance incarnate. Though already superb, readers should be patient to enjoy this Champagne at its peak.
After the 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2000 vintages, the 2002 Blanc de Noirs Brut Clos d’Ambonnay is the fifth edition of this splendid but rare and expensive Pinot Noir.
Sourced in a tiny, walled 0.68-hectare (1.7-acre) plot on a deep stratum of chalk, 2002 offers a deep, ripe and highly elegant nose with very fine cherry and red fruit aromas in the beautifully vinous Krug style. On the palate, 2002 is terribly fresh and finessed, highly aromatic and very mineral, with great structure and a very, very long and tensioned finish.
This is a taut and expressive yet highly finessed Clos d'Ambonnay that is shining brighter and becoming more and more complex the more time it takes to breathe. Breathtaking maturity, creaminess and a brioche-flavored taste of dried and candied fruit characterize this mouthfillingly round and intense Clos d’Ambonnay whose vinous charm and depth are teasingly attractive.
Bright, radiant golden yellow with silver reflections and a very fine, lively mousse. The bouquet opens with white flowers, ripe apples and lime zest. Underneath, there is some light nougat and herbs, a touch of kumquat; with more air contact comes notes of tropical fruit and Krug-typical bitter orange; a touch of dried porcini and trompette de la mort mushroom aromas form the background. Compact, with a juicy palate, hints of white peach and delicate marzipan heightened by citrus nuances, the wine has a finessed acidity. It is mineral on the finish, underpinned by red currants, and is surprisingly youthful and lively overall. It is a highly elegant, individualistic Champagne with excellent ageing potential.
The 1998 Brut Blanc de Noirs Clos d’Ambonnay is the most expressive young Ambonnay Krug has released. Sweet red berries, flowers, spices and liquorice emerge from this supple, inviting Champagne. Mirabelle plums, dried flowers and sweet herbs are some of the nuances that linger on the sweet, perfumed finish. With time in the glass, the wine gains considerable shape and dimension. Today, the 1998 looks like it will be the first of the three Ambonnays released thus far to mature. It is also the Ambonnay that has the most clear Pinot character, whereas previous releases have been much more ‘Clos du Mesnil-like’.
Somewhat surprisingly, Krug presents the much-anticipated 1996 Blanc de Noirs Clos d’Ambonnay as the first wine in our tasting. This incredibly refined Champagne opens with a superb, well-delineated bouquet and an impeccable, almost imperceptible mousse.
At first very refined, the wine tightens up in the glass considerably as the acidity comes to life on the palate. The purest essence of crushed rocks and minerals defines the finish. The 1996 Clos d’Ambonnay comes across as incredibly young and searing.
The wine will require considerable patience, but given its lack of track record, it seems reasonable to wonder whether the wine will ever be truly as expressive as the 1995, or the other wines in Krug’s 1996 lineup.
The 1995 Brut Blanc de Noirs Clos d’Ambonnay is simply profound from the very first sip. All of the classic Krug elements are there; the signature bouquet, the finesse of the best Clos du Mesnils, but with the broader shoulders of Pinot from Ambonnay.
The fruit is intricately layered in sublime, graceful notes of mineral-infused, perfumed berries that linger on the eternal finish. Totally rich and seductive, the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay is a wine that will stimulate the intellectual and hedonistic senses to the maximum.
In a word, it is divine. The 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay is hard to resist today, but it should continue to develop positively in bottles for a number of years.
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